Court Extends the Detention of Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt Until 9 December
Today, 10 September, a Moscow court reviewed the detention of Indigenous rights defenders Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt and ordered that both women remain in custody for another 2 months and 24 days, until 9 December 2026.
The hearing was held behind closed doors. Diplomats, journalists and relatives of Daria and Natalia were allowed to attend the announcement of the decision.
Egereva and Leongardt have been held in pre-trial detention since 17 December 2025. They are charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code with participation in the activities of an organization designated as terrorist. The case concerns their alleged involvement in the “Aborigen Forum,” an informal network of experts and activists working to defend Indigenous rights. If convicted, they face 10 to 20 years in prison.
By 9 December, Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt will have spent almost a year in pre-trial detention. Courts have repeatedly extended their detention and rejected defense appeals seeking to replace custody with a less restrictive measure.
The case has sparked widespread international concern. Ten UN experts have expressed concern over their detention and prosecution, while more than 100 international human rights and environmental organizations have called for their release. Amnesty International and IWGIA have also joined the calls. The Society for Threatened Peoples has urged the German government and other Western countries to explore all possible ways to secure their release, including a potential prisoner exchange.
It was also recently announced that Daria Egereva has been nominated for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. Her nomination was submitted by former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples S. James Anaya and Øyvind Ravna, professor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway.
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